Texture pattern imprinting apparatus

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

p-0002This invention relates to apparatus and methods for imprinting patterns in generally vertical concrete structures that may be walls or roadway barriers. The new apparatus may be attached to a vehicle for movement along a vertical concrete structure as the concrete is being poured and formed to imprint the concrete with a pattern.

p-0003Various methods and apparatus may be known for creating patterns in elongated concrete structures that may be walls or roadway barriers. Some of these apparatus may use forms that are positioned prior to the pouring of concrete and the forms may remain in place until the concrete has cured to a desired extent. These forms may also be designed to be used cooperatively with wall paver or slip form concrete machines and vehicles such as those manufactured by Miller Formless Company, Inc., of McHenry, Ill.

p-0004Other methods may use a cylindrical roller or continuously moving belt with a pattern to be moved along a concrete structure to impress a pattern in the concrete. This type of apparatus may allow only limited pattern variability due to the roller or belt size. These apparatus may have limited imprint depth capability due to the amount of pressure or force that can be applied against the concrete surface.

p-0005There may be known hydraulic operated stamp apparatus that may be structured for use in a horizontal production type operation to create concrete panels. This type apparatus would not be usable in imprinting a generally vertical wall or barrier structure.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

p-0006The present invention is directed to apparatus for attachment to a vehicle for movement adjacent to a generally vertical wall structure for imprinting a pattern in a surface of the wall structure. An imprint form frame may be attached to an imprint form. The imprint form frame may be attached to a support frame that may be of generally rectangular form with horizontal and vertical members. The support frame may be attached to one or more position support members so as to be movable in a horizontal and perpendicular direction relative to the plane of the support frame. The perpendicular movement may be controlled by a power actuator. The position support member may be attached to a frame support beam for attachment to a vehicle and may be movable vertically.

p-0007These and other features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following drawings, description and claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

p-0008<figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 1</figref> illustrates a perspective view of a texture pattern imprinting apparatus attached on a side of a wall paver vehicle according to an embodiment of the invention;

p-0009<figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 2</figref> illustrates a front elevation view of an imprinting apparatus attached on a side of a wall paver vehicle according to an embodiment of the invention;

p-0010<figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 3</figref> illustrates a perspective view of an imprinting apparatus according to an embodiment of the invention;

p-0011<figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 4</figref> illustrates a side elevation view of an imprinting apparatus according to an embodiment of the invention;

p-0012<figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 5</figref> illustrates an end elevation view of an imprinting apparatus according to an embodiment of the invention;

p-0013<figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 6</figref> illustrates a front elevation view of an imprinting apparatus attached between the elevation tubes of a wall paver vehicle according to an embodiment of the invention;

p-0014<figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 7</figref> illustrates a plan elevation view of an imprint form according to an embodiment of the invention;

p-0015<figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 8</figref> illustrates a section view of an imprint form according to an embodiment of the invention;

p-0016<figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 9</figref> illustrates a perspective view of a texture pattern imprinting apparatus attached to a transport vehicle according to an embodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

p-0017The following detailed description represents the best currently contemplated modes for carrying out the invention. The description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, but is made merely for the purpose of illustrating the general principles of the invention.

p-0018Referring to <figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIGS. 1 and 2</figref>, a texture pattern imprinting apparatus <b>10</b> for use with concrete structures, for example, vertical walls or roadway barriers may be attached to a wall paver or slip former vehicle <b>100</b>. As illustrated in <figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIGS. 1 and 2</figref>, the imprinting apparatus <b>10</b> may be attached to one side <b>102</b> of a wall paver <b>100</b> relative to the direction of travel of the vehicle <b>100</b>. The wall paver or slip former vehicle <b>100</b> is a vehicle as understood in the art of vertical barrier formation using concrete in a generally continuous motion concrete pouring operation. An example machine may be that manufactured by Miller Formless Company, Inc., of McHenry, Ill., that is currently identified by Model No. M-8800. Vehicles <b>100</b> of this type may have a frame <b>104</b> supported on hydraulic postionable elevation tubes <b>106</b> for use in adjusting the frame <b>104</b> height. The elevation tubes <b>106</b> may be mounted on movable powered track apparatus <b>108</b> to propel the vehicle <b>100</b> in a desired direction. There may be an engine <b>110</b> to power the vehicle <b>100</b> and a hydraulic control system <b>112</b> with hydraulic fluid supply and motors to power and control hydraulic actuator <b>114</b> operation.

p-0019The wall paver vehicle <b>100</b> may be structured to have a slip form wall paver apparatus (not shown) attached to one side <b>102</b> or between the elevation tubes <b>106</b>. A charging hopper and transfer augers (not shown) may be used to move concrete to the paver apparatus for use in slip form wall construction as understood in the industry. Vibrating devices (not shown) may be strategically positioned to aid in concrete pouring. While an example wall paver vehicle <b>100</b> may be used to disclose embodiments of use of an imprinting apparatus <b>10</b>, other transport vehicles may be used to carry and operate an imprinting apparatus <b>10</b> for cooperative operation with a slip form wall paver apparatus equipped vehicle <b>100</b>. An approximately structure wall paver vehicle <b>100</b> may have both a slip form wall paver apparatus positioned forward of an imprinting apparatus <b>10</b> to allow slip forming a concrete vertical structure followed by imprinting the vertical structure using the same vehicle.

p-0020Referring to <figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIGS. 1 through 5</figref>, the imprinting apparatus <b>10</b> may have an imprint form frame <b>20</b> sized to hold an imprint form <b>22</b>. The form frame <b>20</b> may be attached to a support frame <b>30</b> that may be slidably attached to a vertical and horizontal positioning support member <b>40</b>. Hydraulic actuators <b>52</b> may be used to position the imprint form frame <b>20</b> horizontally and vertically prior to imprint hydraulic actuators <b>50</b> moving the imprint form <b>22</b> against a concrete surface <b>122</b> of a wall <b>120</b>.

p-0021The positioning support members <b>40</b> may be attached to generally vertical frame support beams <b>60</b> that may be movably attached to generally horizontal attachment beams <b>62</b>. The attachment beams <b>62</b> may be slidably inserted in frame beams <b>105</b> of frame <b>104</b> for attachment to vehicle <b>100</b> or otherwise attached to a vehicle <b>100</b> for movement and positioning along a wall <b>120</b>.

p-0022The imprint form frame <b>20</b> may be of generally rectangular open beam form having multiple vertical beams <b>24</b> attached at upper and lower ends <b>26</b> by horizontal beams <b>28</b>. The lengths of beams <b>24</b>, <b>28</b> and the number of beams <b>24</b> may be determined by the desired size of the imprint for a wall surface, whether or not it is repetitive. The beams <b>24</b>, <b>28</b> may be attached by fasteners, welding or other suitable attachment method. The imprint form frame <b>20</b> may have one or more vibrator devices <b>98</b> attached to aid in causing a desired impression in a concrete surface. The vibrator devices <b>98</b> may be attached to elongated bars <b>96</b> for attachment to two or more vertical beams <b>24</b> to allow a distributed effect to the imprint form <b>22</b>.

p-0023The support frame <b>30</b> may have a pair of horizontal members <b>32</b> attached to a pair of vertical members <b>34</b> in a rectangular form having a horizontal length approximately equal to that of the form frame <b>20</b>. The support frame <b>30</b> may be attached to the form frame <b>20</b> by bolts <b>130</b> or other suitable fastening methods.

p-0024The vertical and horizontal positioning support members <b>40</b> may have an elongated bar member <b>42</b> that may be rectangular in cross section that may be slidably inserted through an attachment sleeve <b>44</b>. The bar member <b>42</b> may have attached at each end <b>46</b> a horizontal frame bar <b>48</b> oriented to be approximately orthogonal to the bar member <b>42</b> and to the support frame <b>30</b>. An orthogonal junction device <b>54</b> may have a first sleeve <b>56</b> slidably positioned on a horizontal member <b>32</b> to allow horizontal movement of the support frame <b>30</b>. A second sleeve <b>58</b> attached orthogonal to said first sleeve <b>56</b> may be slidably positioned on a frame bar <b>48</b> to allow movement of the support frame <b>30</b> toward and away from a surface to be imprinted. The horizontal motion of support frame <b>30</b> may be controlled by a hydraulic actuator <b>52</b> attached to horizontal member <b>32</b> and to junction device <b>54</b>. The support frame <b>30</b> may be moved to force an imprint form <b>22</b> against a surface to be imprinted as controlled by imprint hydraulic actuators <b>50</b> attached to a frame bar <b>48</b> and to the second sleeve <b>58</b>.

p-0025The attachment sleeve <b>44</b> of the positioning support member <b>40</b> may be attached to a frame support sleeve <b>64</b> slidably positioned on a frame support beam <b>60</b>. This frame support sleeve <b>64</b> may allow generally vertical positioning of the support frame <b>30</b>. The attachment sleeve <b>44</b> may also allow generally vertical positioning of the support frame <b>30</b>. As illustrated in the Figures, the attachment sleeve <b>44</b> may be positioned by a hydraulic actuator <b>52</b> attached to the sleeve <b>44</b> and to the bar member <b>42</b>. The frame support sleeve <b>64</b> may be positioned manually prior to use based on the wall structure to be imprinted and the sleeve <b>64</b> fixed in position on the beam <b>60</b> by pins <b>66</b> or other fasteners. When two or more frame support beams <b>60</b> and sleeves <b>64</b> may be used the separation distance may be maintained by a span bar <b>68</b> attached to each sleeve <b>64</b>.

p-0026The frame support beam <b>60</b> may be movably attached to the attachment beam <b>62</b> by an attachment beam sleeve <b>70</b> positioned on the beam <b>62</b> and an angularly rotatable bracket <b>72</b>. The movement of the sleeve <b>70</b> may be controlled by a hydraulic actuator <b>74</b> attached to the sleeve <b>70</b> and to the attachment beam <b>62</b>. The bracket <b>72</b> may be fixedly attached at a first end <b>76</b> to the upper end <b>80</b> of the frame support beam <b>60</b>. A second end <b>78</b> of the bracket <b>72</b> may have a rod <b>82</b> attached at one end <b>84</b> and the rod <b>82</b> may be attached at the other end <b>86</b> to the sleeve <b>64</b>. The rod <b>82</b> may be a threaded telescoping rod to allow varying the length. The bracket <b>72</b> may have a slot <b>88</b> formed intermediate the first end <b>76</b> and second end <b>78</b> with bolts <b>90</b> inserted therethrough for attachment to the bracket <b>72</b>. The position of the bolt <b>90</b> in the slot <b>88</b> may determine the general vertical orientation of the frame support beam <b>60</b>.

p-0027Referring to <figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 6</figref>, a vehicle <b>100</b> with an imprinting apparatus <b>10</b> attached between the elevation tubes <b>106</b> is illustrated.

p-0028Referring to <figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIGS. 7 and 8</figref>, an example of a patterned imprint form <b>22</b> is illustrated that may simulate a stone barrier when imprinted in concrete. The base <b>18</b> may be a wood, plywood or other suitable structure. The pattern <b>16</b> may be formed from a vulcanized rubber material to create the shapes of stones and spaces between stones. This form <b>22</b> may be attached to the imprint form frame <b>20</b>. While a stone barrier pattern has been used as an example, any appropriate pattern desired for a wall may be used.

p-0029Referring to <figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 9</figref>, a transport vehicle <b>150</b> with an imprinting apparatus <b>10</b> attached is illustrated. The imprinting apparatus may have three or more position support members <b>40</b> movably attached to frame support beams <b>60</b>, three are illustrated in the Figure, which may be attached to attachment beams <b>62</b> for attachment to a vehicle.

p-0030While the invention has been particularly shown and described with respect to the illustrated embodiments thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that the foregoing and other changes in form and details may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.